The Advantages of Ultrasound in Veterinary Medicine
As diagnostic capabilities grow more robust in veterinary medicine, their effects can be seen in more accurate diagnoses, earlier detection of disease, and a greater understanding of the health and well-being of animals. One of these amazing tools we use often at All Creatures Veterinary Hospital is the ultrasound.
Ultrasound in veterinary medicine has revolutionized the way we approach many health issues and even how we practice surgical procedures. Often coupled with x-rays, ultrasound provides a better look at internal organs and allows us to detect issues that cannot be seen with a simple radiograph. But how does it do this, and what can we detect with ultrasound?
An Overview of the Ultrasound
The ultrasound is an imaging procedure that uses sound waves that aren’t audible to the human ear. These sounds “echo” off the corresponding site in question, which produces images that are mapped by black (fluid) and grey (tissue). From these images, we can get a better understanding of organ health and detect things like a tumor or pregnancy.
What Can an Ultrasound Detect?
An ultrasound can detect a number of different issues, such as:
- Pregnancy and the number of fetuses in utero
- Ingested foreign bodies
- Cardiac function
- Whether or not an organ is enlarged
- A Tumor/mass, including certain cancers
- Quality of blood flow through the arteries
The Advantages of Ultrasound in Veterinary Medicine
One of the key advantages of ultrasound is that it offers a “real-time” look at internal organs. This is most often utilized with pets who are pregnant and to gauge the health of puppies and kittens as they develop. Other benefits of ultrasound include:
- It’s noninvasive.
- It requires no medication or anesthesia.
- It’s affordable.
- It can be repeated, such as with each new stage of a pregnancy.
- It allows us to view the internal organs with greater precision.
- The procedure typically doesn’t distress pets.
- It can assist in surgical procedures and bioposes
If you’d like to learn more about ultrasound in veterinary medicine or want additional information about how it can help your pet, please give us a call!